
Class ) o 



Book 






A Chamberlain Genealogical 

Record. 



/ 







REV HIRAM CHAMBERLAIN. 

Born I 797, died 1866. 

./ ilttguerrrotypt taken in etirhi man 



ANCESTRY 

IN THE 

LINE OF HER FATHER 

OF 



Hbelta Chamberlain Mar&tno 



DAUGHTEK OF 



Kev. Hiram Chamberlain 

AND 

Anna Adelia Griswold 



PREPARED BY HER HUSBAND 

COLONEL WILLIAM J: HARDING 

Brooklyn, New York 

Begun in December, 1897 Completed in December, 1906 



Also the ancestry of 

Capt. Miram 5. Cbamberlain 

in the line of Leander, son of Peleg Chamberlain 



Privately Printed 



Salem press : 

The Salem Press Co., Salem, Mass. 

1907 



Xtne of Descent. 



Henry Chamberlain 
of Hingham and Hull, Mass. 

William Chamberlain 
of Hull, Massachusetts. 

Joseph Chamberlain 

of Hull and Hadley, Mass., and Colchester, Conn. 

William Chamberlain 
of Colchester, Conn. 

Peleg Chamberlain 
of Colchester and Kent, Conn. 

Peleg Chamberlain 
of Kent and New Milford, Conn. 

Swift Chamberlain 
of Kent, Conn., and Monkton, Vt. 

Hiram Chamberlain 

of Monkton, Vt., and Brownsville, Texas. 

Adelia Chamberlain 
wife of Col. Wm. J. Harding. 



a Cbamberlain IReeorfc) 



preface 

When I undertook the tracing of my wife's ancestry on her 
father's side, little was known in her family on the subject, be- 
yond the fact that her father, Hiram Chamberlain, was born at 
Monkton, Vt.; that he was educated at Middlebury College, Vt., 
and at the theological seminaries at Andover, Mass., and Prince- 
ton, N. J. ; and in early life had been ordained by the New York 
Presbytery. Even the Christian name and place of birth of Mr. 
Chamberlain's father was not known to them, nor the name of 
his mother. Mr. Chamberlain's pastorate duties took him into 
the Southern States immediately after his ordination in 1825. 
He was twice married before 1842, but of these marriages only 
one child, a daughter of the first marriage, attained maturity and 
survived her father. There was no issue of the second marriage. 
The last sixteen years of Mr. Chamberlain's life (1850-1866) 
were spent at Brownsville, Texas, and there the children of 
his third marriage were brought up or born, strangers to their 
father's old home, and remembered but little about their rela- 
tives in far away New England, except that their father had a 
brother, named Peleg, and other relatives with whom he some- 
times corresponded. The total destruction, soon after Mr- 
Chamberlain's death, of the family residence at Brownsville 
with all its contents, including Mr. Chamberlain's papers, cor- 
respondence and books, during the terrible tornado of 1867, 
completely closed all avenues of information, excepting such 
general and imperfect recollections of what from time to time 
may have fallen from Mr. Chamberlain's own lips with reference 
to his kindred. 

Accordingly the first step taken was to communicate with 
the college authorities and examine the general catalogues of 
Middlebury, Andover and Princeton; but these yielded no in- 
formation concerning Mr. Chamberlain's parentage. Corres- 
pondence was then opened with a Vermont lawyer, practicing 

(v) 



vi a Chamberlain IRecorfc 

in the vicinity of Monkton, and the interest and help of my wife's 
younger brother, Mr. Edwin Chamberlain of San Antonio, 
Texas, was enlisted in the subject. By the end of January, 1898> 
Mr. Edwin Chamberlain and I, from different sources, learned 
that there were gravestones in Monkton cemetery which bore 
the names of Swift Chamberlain, who died in 1828, and of his 
wife Mary, who died in 1858. About the same time a helpful 
fact was gleaned from the Tuttle Family Genealogy, viz. that 

"Polly, daughter of Thomas Tuttle married Chamberlain 

of Monkton, Addison County, Vt., and had a large family, of 
whom a daughter married Ryland Doughten." The additional 
fact that Ryland Doughten was dead, and that Emily Doughten 
had lived at Monkton, with Swift Chamberlain's widow, was 
clearly of value. From these isolated facts, taken together, the 
inference was drawn that Mrs. Harding's grandfather and grand- 
mother were Swift Chamberlain and Mary Tuttle; and on this 
assumption the investigation was continued; but with the sup- 
position that the Chamberlains were of Vermont. The unus- 
ual Christian name "Swift," suggesting a maternal surname, 
was of peculiar value in instituting further researches, as will 
be seen later on. 

Correspondence was then carried on with various persons 
who were supposed to be possessed of facts which would be help- 
ful; but this method was abandoned after it had been prose- 
cuted for several years without substantial results. 

In 1902 I secured the assistance of Mr. Eben Putnam, of 
Boston, an experienced and skillful genealogist, and, guided by 
his patient and intelligent investigations, the facts which led to 
final success were slowly brought to light. Mr. Putnam at once 
expressed doubts of the value of the tradition that Mr. Chamber- 
lain's ancestors had quite recently come from England, and 
settled at Montpelicr, Vermont; and favored a Massachusetts 
origin of the family. None of Mr. Putnam's Chamberlain 
"notes" showed a Swift Chamberlain; nor did Ellery's Geneal- 
ogy of the Swift Family disclose a marriage with a Chamberlain. 
Upon examining the Connecticut Revolutionary War records, 
it was found that a Swift Chamberlain and a Peleg Chamberlain 
of Kent, in western Connecticut, were Revolutionary soldiers. 



a Cbamberlain IRecorb vii 

The finding of these significant names was decidedly encourag- 
ing; moreover, further research showed that a Peleg Chamber- 
lain married, 4th October, 1759, Abigail Swift of Sandwich, 
Mass., at Kent, Conn., which indicated how Swift Chamberlain 
came by his Christian name — assuming that Peleg and Swift 
were father and son. 

The next discovery was that a John Chamberlain, born 1626, 
of Newport, had a son Peleg, born 1666, and that a Peleg Cham- 
berlain, was admitted freeman at Newport in 1707. Much time 
was spent in endeavoring to connect this Newport Peleg with 
our Kent Peleg, but unsuccessfully, although the necessary re- 
searches brought out much that was interesting and ultimately val- 
uable, including the fact that John was a son of Henry of Hing- 
ham. The difficulty was increased by the condition of the 
Newport records, examination of the most important of which be- 
ing forbidden on account of their condition, these records hav- 
ing suffered greatly during the Revolutionary War. 

A critical point in the investigation had now been reached. 
About this time, viz., May, 1903, Vol. IX of the Collections of 
the Connecticut Historical Society was issued, giving names of 
French and Indian War soldiers from Connecticut; and, to our 
great joy, was found to contain the names of a Peleg Chamber- 
lain of Colchester and a Peleg, Jr., of Kent. It was also found 
that when the development of the town of Kent was begun in 
1739, several persons of the name of Swift from Sandwich, Mass., 
and many people from Colchester, and Hebron, became inter- 
ested in the place. 

The Colchester records, being in print, showed that a William 
Chamberlain, born 1689, had a son Peleg, born 1713. Here 
evidently was our clue. 

On further search it was found that there were at least two 
distinct families of Chamberlain at Colchester; one, descended 
from Richard of Braintree, the other represented by a Joseph 
Chamberlain, who it was thought, might be descended from 
Henry of Hingham. This Joseph had apparently settled in 
Colchester about 1704, and it was soon found, from the Col- 
chester deeds, that William, born 1689, was the son of this 
Joseph, and the father of Peleg, senior. 



viii B Chamberlain IRecorfc 

Thus it became possible to construct the following tentative 
pedigree: Josepb Chamberlain of Colchester, William of 
Colchester, horn L689, PELEG of Colchester, born 1713, Peleg 
of Colchester and Kent, married Abigail Swift, Swift of Kent, 
died 1828 at Monkton, Vt., married Mary (Tuttle?), Hiram, 
born 1797 at Monkton, Vt. 

From the records of Hingham and Hull, Mass., and the pro- 
bate and other records of Suffolk County, Mass., it appeared 
that William Chamberlain of Hull, son of Henry of Hingham, 
the immigrant of 1038, had a son named Joseph and another 
son named Freedom. This Joseph was traced to Hadley, where 
he married Mercy Dickinson, and then to Hatfield, but no record 
of him there after about 1687 was found. As this Joseph of 
Hadley and the Joseph of Colchester were apparently about the 
same age, the former with a brother Freedom, the latter with a 
son Freedom, it was felt sure that they were one and the same 
person. I would not, however, take this for granted, but con- 
tinued the investigation. 

After much persistent labor, Mr. Putnam's skill was rewarded 
by discovering at Springfield, Mass., the records of a series of 
litigation which established the fact beyond question, that Joseph 
of Colchester was he of Hadley, and a grandson of Henry of 
Hingham. This completed the line from Henry Chamberlain 
the immigrant of 1638 to my wife. 

All other details, with dates of marriages, births and deaths, 
names and pedigrees of the wives, information from wills, deeds, 
church records, etc., were gradually looked up and added from 
time to time. 

Much difficulty was, however, experienced in establishing 
the identity of Mary, Swift Chamberlain's wife, and in determin- 
ing whether she or a former wife was the mother of Mr. Hiram 
Chamberlain. 

The Monkton records of the birth of ten of the children of 
Swift and Mary, or Polly Chamberlain began with April, 1799, 
and, of course, made no mention of Hiram, who was born in 1797. 
Examination of the marriage and other records of Monkton and 
nearby towns, and of the recorded deeds and probate proceed- 
ings in Addison and adjoining counties of Vermont, failed to 



a Cbamberlatn IRecorfc ix 

disclose the sought-for information, although much that was 
interesting concerning the Chamberlain and Tuttle families was 
met with. 

Finally, late in 1906, the question was determined through 
the United States Pension Records of the Revolutionary War, 
which gave the date and place of marriage of Swift Chamberlain 
and Mary Tuttle. 

Of all that is set forth in the following pages there is ample 
proof which would be received and accepted as evidence in any 
court of law or equity. 

The list of authorities consulted and examined will give some 
idea of the scope and extent of the investigation which was ne- 
cessary to bring about a successful result. 

Brooklyn, N. Y., October, 1907. 

Wm. J. Harding. 



ancestry of 

Hfcelia Cbambcrlain 

Wiitc of CoL mm. 3. IHarotno 



H Chamberlain IRecorfc 



iHenn? Chamberlain 

IMMIGRANT AND PROGENITOR. 
Born about 1596. Died 1674. 

Henry Chamberlain of Hingham afterwards of Hull, 
Plymouth (formerly Suffolk*) County, Mass., and the first of 
that name to emigrate to New England, came in the ship 
Diligent of Ipswich, John Martin, Master, probably from 
the Parish of Wymondham (Wyndham) near Hingham, County 
Norfolk, England, with a company of 133 persons, chiefly from 
Norfolk, under the leadership of Rev. Robert Peck. The Dili- 
gent sailed from Ipswich, County Suffolk, and arrived at Boston 
or Charlestown, Mass., 10th August, 1638. It is stated in the 
record made by Daniel Cushing, at one time (1669-1700) Town 
Clerk of Hingham, who was born in 1619, and who himself 
came in 1638 in the Diligent, that Henry brought with him his 
mother, his wife, and two children; but there must have been 
three, and perhaps four, children, viz: Susan, Henry, William 
and John.f His mother was probably the widow Christian 
Chamberlain who died at Hingham 19th April, 1659, aged 81. 
Mr. Pope, in his "Pioneers," seeks to identify Christian Cham- 
berlain with the "Mrs. Chamberlain" mentioned in the follow- 
ing vote of the General Court of Massachusetts: "14 May, 
1645. Upon weighty reasons moveing, it is ordred, yt Mrs. 
Chamberlin, widowe, sister of Mr. Israeli Stoughton, (lately 
a worthy member of y s comon weale,) shalbe alowed out of 
Mr. Androws gift either a cowe or five pounds." Israel 
Stoughton was brother of Rev. John Stoughton of London, 
who married the widow Cudworth. He died in England be- 
fore the date of this vote. Except that the Stoughtons were a 

* Hull was annexed to Plymouth County in 1803. 
t Certainly four: Susan, b. 161 6; Henry and William, b. without 
doubt before 1638; John, b. 1626. 



a Cbamberlain IRecorfc 



Dorcliester family and that Christian Chamberlain, a widow, 
was then living, there appears no reason to suppose she is the 
one intended in the vote. At that time (1645) there were sev- 
eral persons of the name in New England. 

Henry had land granted to him the same year by the town 
of Hingham, and was admitted freeman 13th March, 1638-9. 
He afterwards settled in the adjoining town of Hull, where his 
name appears among the proprietors in 1657; and, either he 
or his son Henry, was a town officer in 1670. There, during 
his last years, he lived with his son William, and died at Hull 
15th July, 1674. His wife Jone (Joan) survived him, and died 
prior to November, 1686. By his will, which is dated 8th Nov- 
ember, 1673, and was proved 29th July, 1674, his sons Henry 
and William were named as executors; his wife is referred to 
as Jone; and his three daughters Susan, Ursuly and Faith, and 
a grandson John, are mentioned by name. The estate, which 
was appraised by Nathaniel Bosworth and Thomas Loring 
27th April, 1675, included a five-acre lot in Hingham, a lot at 
Old Planters' Hill and ten acres on the Plain. Chamberlain's 
Run, near Rocky Hill, probably took its name from him. His 
wife's surname and the dates and places of her birth and mar- 
riage are not known. 

Henry Chamberlain's children were Susan, Henry, William, 
John, Ursuly and Faith. These, excepting John, who died in 
Newport in 1(566, are all named in their father's will. Susan, 
according to her own deposition, was born in 1616, and was 
probably the first born; she was the wife of Joseph Carter of 
Charlestown, and is called Susan Carter in her father's will. 
Henry, the eldest son, was co-executor with his brother William 
of his father's will, and died in 1678; his will, which is dated 
2nd December, 1678, was proved 14th January, 1678-9; he 
left two sons Henry and Benjamin, the latter may have been 
the soldier of King Philip's War, later a resident of Colchester 
and the father of John and Daniel. William (of whom below) 
must certainly have been born prior to 1638, and therefore in 
England, because in 1652 he was a married man and the father 
of a child or of children. John "the father of children" in 
1660, the eldest of whom was born in 1654, could hardly 



H Chamberlain "Recorfc 



have been born after 1638, the date of the arrival of the Diligent, 
and Austin* has given the date of his birth as 1626. Ursuly was 
named in her father's will as Ursuly Cole, and Faith as Faith 
Patterson. John lived in and near Boston, until his Quaker 
affiliations caused his removal. That he was Henry's son (which 
has hitherto been regarded as doubtful) is now (October, 1906) 
proved beyond question. Not only as establishing John's parent- 
age, but as a striking commentary upon the religious intolerance 
of the times, the following is of interest. A writ against John 
Chamberlain was issued 25th March, 1660, "for venting his 
wretched opinions in Charlestown Meeting House." The peti- 
tion of Henry Chamberlain, senior, and Henry Chamberlain, 
junior, respecting John Chamberlain, "a child, a brother," 
prayed that the sentence of banishment under pain of death 
be remitted to imprisonment, and that he might be committed 
to prison there to work at his trade. There is mention of John 
as being the father of children, and "bound by many obligations 
of naturall relation unto this place." The deputies ordered his 
removal to the Castle, there to provide his own lodging, board, 
clothes, etc., 7th April, 1661. He ultimately went to Newport, 
R. I., and died there in 1666. f 

The parentage of the following is not given in the records 
of their baptism at Hingham; viz., Daniel, baptized 17th March, 
1639-40; Sarah, baptized 26th September, 1641; Nathaniel, 
baptized 26th November, 1643; Ebenezer, died 28th October, 
1646. There is no mention of these in Henry Chamberlain's 
will. 

AUTHORITIES. 

Chamberlain Association Annual Report 1902, p. 19. 

Record made by Daniel Cushing, Town Clerk (1669-1700) of Hingham. 

Drake's Founders of New England, pp. 78 et seq. 

History of Hingham, published by the town, Vol. II, p. 121. 

Pope's Pioneers of Massachusetts. 

Records of Massachusetts, Vol. II, p. 113. 

Suffolk Probate, Vol. VI, p. 90(54). 

* Austin : Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island, 
t See Appendix. 



a Cbamberlain IRecorfc 



Town Records Hingham and Hull. 

Bodge, King Philip's War. 

Deed of Daniel Chamberlain and John Chamberlain, 1737, at Spring- 
field. 

Papers in Massachusetts Archives, Vol. X, pp. 266 et seq. 

The towns of Hingham and Hull are now in Plymouth County, but 

were formerly in Suffolk. 



a Cbamberlatn IRecorfc 



Milliam Cbamberlain 

Born Died 1678. 

William Chamberlain of Hull, son of Henry of Hingham 
and Joan his wife, came from England with his father in 1638. 
He lived for many years at Hingham, and had children born 
there, but removed to Hull before September, 1659 and after 1654, 
where he died 22nd October, 1678. Although he was a well-to-do 
man, and owned considerable real and personal property, William 
Chamberlain died intestate, and administration on his estate was 
granted 14th January, 1678-9 to his sons John and Job. The in- 
ventory showed the value of his personal estate to be £523-0-0, a 
large sum in those days, and which the Court ordered 28th Jan- 
uary, 1678-9, to be divided between the eldest and eight other 
children. That he was also a land owner appears in several ways. 
By the indenture dated 29th April, 1679 (soon after his death), ac- 
knowledged 12th November, 1680, made between John Chamber- 
lain of Hull and Job Chamberlain of Scituate, administrators of 
the estate of their father William Chamberlain of Hull, on the 
one part, and William Chamberlain of Hull, eldest son and right 
heir on the other part, the latter agrees, in consideration of en- 
joying the use of the new home and half the land adjoining be- 
longing to both houses (the old and the new), and various speci- 
fied lots, to pay his brothers Nathaniel and Benjamin, and his 
sister Mary, £50 each "when they come of age." By the same 
deed John and Job agree "to pay unto their brothers Joseph 
Chamberlyn and Freedom Chamberlyn and their sister Sarah 
Chamberlyn their severall respective portions," etc. The shares 
of the younger children were, the deed provided, to be improved 
during minority for their education. At the time this deed was 
dated and acknowledged, the only children who were of full age 
seem to have been William, John and Job. In 1686 John and 
Job, administrators, presented a further account, and reported 
"more land in the possession of brother William" and "more, 



a Cbamberlain IRecorfc 



an estate fallen to us by the death of our grandfather and grand- 
mother who lived and died at our father's, £41-14-0." That 
William Chamberlain was married twice appears by the agree- 
ment of 1685 between his children John, William, Job and Nath- 
aniel, brothers by one father and mother, and Benjamin, Joseph, 
Mary and Sarah, children by another wife. This deed is re- 
ferred to in Charlestown Genealogies and Estates, p. 197. He 
and his first wife, whose name has not been traced, were married 
probably about 1649 or 50. She must have died soon after Sep- 
tember, 1659, and probably at Hull about the time of the birth 
of her son Nathaniel. William Chamberlain married a second 
time, within a few months, because the first child of the second 
marriage (Sarah) probably became of age in 1681, and was born 
therefore in 1660. It is conjectured that his second wife was 
Sarah Jones, daughter of Thomas Jones of Hull; but it does not 
appear with certainty, whether she survived her husband or not. 
The old house with land, orchards, etc., which formed a part of 
the premises of their father William Chamberlain and was sold 
in 1693 by Sarah, William and Joseph to Nathaniel,* was at that 
time in the tenure of Thomas Jones, Jr., who may have been the 
brother of the second wife. 

William Chamberlain's children, all of whom (excepting the 
Sarah who died young) are mentioned by name in the deed of 
29th April, Hi7 ( .>, were as follows: Of his first marriage: William, 
the eldest son, was a weaver and probably a Quaker. He mar- 
ried Eunice and had children, was living in Hull in October, 
1693, and died 1 lth December, 1 7<) ( .t. Sarah, baptizedat Hingham 
6th June, 1652, and died young. John, baptized at Hingham, 
27th August, 1654, was co-administrator with his brother Job of 
his father's estate, and was probably the "grandson John" named 
in his grandfather's will. He married Deborah Templar, and 
died at Charlestown 22nd December, 1690, aged 36. Job, was 
co-administrator with his brother John of his father's estate. 
He was a shipwright, of Seituate and Boston, and had children. 
Nathaniel, born at Hull 4-7nio., 1659, was a weaver, of Hull, 
but removed to Seituate. He married Abigail and had children, 
and was living in 1693 at Hull. Of William Chamberlain's 



* Page 8. 



a Chamberlain IRecorfc 



second marriage: Sarah, born 1660, was living at Newport, "a 
spinster," probably with her sister Mary, in 1693. Joseph of 
whom below. Mary, was under 14 in 1680 and still a minor 
in 1685. She married Captain Nathaniel Sheffield of Newport 
prior to 1692. Freedom, a minor in 1680, died on board "Mr. 
Cundy's ship now arrived at Boston." Administration was 
granted to his brother, John Chamberlain of Charlestown, 
14th August, 1685. The inventory mentions a lot at Pedox 
Island, wages due from Mr. Cundy, and debts of Job and 
Joseph Chamberlain. Benjamin, was under 14 in 1680, and 
living in 1685. 



AUTHORITIES. 

Wyman, Charlestown Genealogies and Estates, page 197. 

•Suffolk Probate, Vol. XII, page 251. 

Suffolk County Court Records at City Hall, Boston, page 563. 28 Jan., 

1678-9. 
Suffolk Deeds, Vol. XII, page 35. 
Suffolk Probate, Vol. IX, page 334. 
Town Records Hingham and Hull. 
Suffolk Deeds, Vol. XL, page 181. 
Middlesex County Court Records, file 1685, and Probate Records, VI, 

346. 



H Chamberlain IRecoit) 



3oscpb (Xbambciiatn 

Born 1665. Dud 1752. 

Joseph Chamberlain of Hull and Hadley, Mass.,, and 
Colchester, ( !onn., son of William Chamberlain of Hull, was aged 
n7 at his death at Colchester in i 7 ~>2, and was horn therefore 
in 1665, at Hull, of his father's second marriage. He removed to 
Hadley, thence to Hatfield and finally to Colchester, Conn. By 
the indenture of 29th April, 1679, already mentioned,* he (with 
his brother Freedom and his sister Sarah) was to receive his 
portion of his father's estate from his brothers John and Job, 
administrators. In 1687, by deed dated 30-lst mo., in which 
he is described as of Hull, he sold to his brother William half the 
lot on Pettix Island "which was our father's and afterwards our 
brother Freedom's and is now mine." This sale was made 
about the time of his removal to Hadley where he married in 
June of the following year, 1688. At Hadley, 29th May, 1693, 
lie gave a power of attorney for himself and his wife to Ids brother 
William, under which, in the same year, 13th October, William, 
for himself and his brother Joseph and .Mercy his wife, together 
with Sarah Chamberlain of Newport, spinster, sold to Nathaniel 
Chamberlain "the old house with land orchard etc. now in the 
tenure of Thomas Jones, Jr." which was a part of the premises 
of their father William Chamberlain late of Hull. In 169.3, 31st 
May, Joseph's wife, Mercy, quitclaimed to Nathaniel Chamber- 
Iain and John Collier, any right she had in Hull in right of her 
husband. Joseph Chamberlain (no residence specified) was, 
with John Ingram, Jr., a defendant in an action brought against 
them in 1(192 by John Dickinson of Wethersfield, concerning a 
house and lot at Hadley; the verdict being for the defendants. 
In 1701 Joseph Chamberlain was a petit juror at Hadley, and in 
170o there was a decision concerning his taxes at Hadley and 
Hatfield. On 13th February, 1702, Joseph Chamberlain of 
Hadley entered into an agreement with George Stillman for the 

* Page 5. 



H Chamberlain IRecorfc 



purchase of certain lands in Hadley, which he improved, seem- 
ingly without actually consummating the purchase. These im- 
provements he probably attempted to take away when he re- 
moved to Colchester; foron5th September, 1704, and justpriorto 
the time a home lot was voted to him at Colchester, Stillman sued 
him and obtained judgment in his favor. From this judg- 
ment Joseph appealed to the next Superior Court of Judicature 
to be held at Boston. Stillman and his wife Rebecca sold the 
land in question, 20th March, 1706, to John Preston, Sr., of Had- 
ley; and in 1709, April 14th, Joseph, then of Colchester, sued 
Preston "in a plea of detinue." The defendant pleaded, "in 
abatement of the writ, that the thing sued for is part and parcel 
of the freehold." The case was tried 19th May, 1709, and the 
Court found that the writ should abate and defendant recover 
costs; which by the way is sound law to this day. Joseph there- 
fore got back neither the improvements he put on the land nor 
their value. Joseph Chamberlain must have taken up his resi- 
dence at Colchester, Conn., in 1704 or 5, as on 30th October, 1704, 
the town voted that he have a home lot north of John Hopson's 
with a £200 right, and his son Freedom was born there 15th April, 
1705. In the two following years he was a selectman, and again 
in 1718. Ninety acres near Martin Kellogg's land was laid out 
to him 7th March, 1706. In 1710, at the Town Meeting, he 
was chosen "Ordynary," and on 12th March, 1712 the Governor 
and Council of Connecticut made him a grant of £1-13-0 for 
entertaining the French Ambassador, in 1711, while passing 
through Colchester on his way to New London. He was ad- 
mitted (with others) in 1713 as a joint proprietor with the orig- 
inal proprietors, and on 29th December, 1714 "in consideration 
of love and affection," he granted "one mansion house and home- 
lot" to his son William. To his son Freedom also he made a gift 
of land by deed dated 25th January, 1730-1. He died at Col- 
chester 7th August, 1752, and his estate was administered by his 
son William, of Hebron, to whom letters of administration were 
granted 11th March, 1756. 

Joseph Chamberlain was married at Hadley, 8th June, 1688, 
to Mercy, daughter of John Dickinson and a granddaughter of 
Nathaniel Dickinson. Mercy died at Colchester 30th June, 



/ 



io a Chamberlain IRecorfc 

1735 aged 07, and was horn therefore in 1668. Nathaniel Dick- 
inson was of Wethersfield, Conn., in 1037, was Town Clerk in 
1045, Deputy from 1040 to 1656, removed to Hadley in 1059 — 
where he was admitted freeman in 1001 — and was a deacon and the 
first Recorder. He died at Hadley 10th June, 1070. In his will 
he names "son William Gull," which may indicate that his wife, 
whose name was Anne, was a widow Cull. John Dickinson, 
Nathaniel's son and Mercy's father, was married (1047) to 
Frances Foote, daughter of Nathaniel Foote of Wethersfield and, 
in 1077, she united in marriage with Francis Barnard. Mercy's 
father was a Sergeant in the Train-band, and was killed at the 
Falls Fight, L9th May, 1070, in King Philip's War. As Hadley 
was ravaged and burned in 1070 by Indians, it is not unlikely 
that Nathaniel, John's father, also lost his life in that war. 
Mary, sister of Mercy, became the wife of Samuel Xortham of 
Colchester. 

Joseph Chamberlain's children were as follows: William, 
of whom below; Sarah, born at Hadley 2nd November, 1090, 
died young; Sarah, born at Hadley 10th March, 1093, married 
June, 170S, Ephraim Foote, of Colchester; died 9th June, 1777; 
John, born at Hatfield, 4th March, 1700, died young; Freedom, 
born at Colchester, 15th April, 1705; John, born at Colchester 
31st January, 1707-8; Elizabeth, married 8th September, 1715 
to John Wells. There may have been other children born either 
at Hatfield or Colchester, but on account of the presence of at 
least two distinct Chamberlain families in Colchester at this time 
it is not easy to determine. 

There is a record of the marriage of a Joseph Chamberlain 
at Colchester, 12th July, 1738, to widow Hannah Gillett — 
"Widow Sarah Hannah Gillett" according to Hinman's manu- 
script, in the library of the New England Historic Genealogical 
Society — but as Joseph, the subject of this record, was at that 
date 73 years of age, it is quite likely that this bridegroom 
belonged to one of the other Chamberlain families. Joseph had, 
however, been a widower for three years, and having in mind 
the customs and tendencies of those times, his second marriage 
is not wholly improbable. The children were Mary, Rebecca 
and Aaron. 



B Gbamberlain IRecorb n 

AUTHORITIES. 
»Suffolk Deeds, Vol. XII, p. 35; XL, p. 181 ; XVII, pp. 15, 16 and 131. 
• Copy of Court Records at Northampton deposited at Springfield. 
> Colchester Town Records (Town Clerk) . 
\Taintor's Town Records of Colchester. 
— Colchester Deeds, Vol. II, page 90; Vol. Ill, page 171. 
s Judd, History of Hadley. 
_ Sheldon, History of Deerfield. 

s Bodge, King Philip's War, pages 245, 247 and 251. 
Hinman's Mss., N. E. Historic Genealogical Society. 
Hadley Town Records. 
, Conn. Colonial Records, Vol. V, page 305. 

There are no deeds on record at Springfield, their proper place of 
record, to or from Joseph Chamberlain of Hadley. 



12 a Chamberlain IRecorfc 



William Chamberlain 

Born 1G88-9. Died 1756. 

William Chamberlain, sou of Joseph Chamberlain of Had- 
ley and Colchester and his wife Mercy Dickinson, and probably 
the eldest son, was born at Hadley in the year 1688-9, perhaps 
in March, which would make him 67 at his death in 1750. He 
doubtless went to Colchester in 1704 or 5 with his father. Be- 
sides the mansion house and homelot at Colchester, the gift of 
his father,* he had a homelot which he bought of Joseph Dewey 
in 1712, just after his marriage. That he owned real and per- 
sonal property both at Colchester and Hebron, appears from 
his son Peleg's deed of quitclaim (mentioned below), to the other 
children, made in 1757. He was appointed administrator of 
his father's estate 11th March, 1750, at which time he apparently 
was "of Hebron," but no settlement of the estate has been traced. 
He died 31st October, 1750, aged 07, according to the record on 
his gravestone, which must be correct — rather than 1755, as 
given in the town record — in view of the date of the letters of 
administration upon his father's estate. 

William Chamberlain was married at Colchester 4th Jan- 
uary, 1710-11 to Sarah Day, who survived him and was living 
in 1757. His children, twelve in number, were as follows: Wil- 
liam, born at Colchester 22nd January, 1711-12; Peleg, of 
whom below; John, born 10th January, 1710, and Sarah, Mercy 
and Mary, no date. The names of the above-mentioned six chil- 
dren appear in the town records of Colchester and also in the deed 
from Peleg to his brothers and sisters, dated 8th February, 1757, 
acknowledged the same day at Glastonbury, whereby, for divers 
good causes, and in consideration of two hundred pounds, he 
quitclaimed to his brothers and sisters, naming them, "all my 
share in real and personal estate of my honored father William 
Chamberlain, late of < 'olchester, both in Colchester and Hebron; 

* Page g. 



a Cbamberlatn IRecorb 13 

.also any estate which may descend to me from my honored 
mother Sarah Chamberlain after her decease." In this quit- 
claim deed Sarah is described as Sarah Foote, Mercy as Mercy 
Ward and Mary as Mary Foote. Three other children, viz., 
Nathaniel, Ebenezer and Joel were also named in Peleg's quit- 
'daim. Nathaniel was born 24th September, 1722, and, it is 
said, married Deliverance, daughter of Thomas Snell. The 
three remaining children, Rhoda, Elizabeth and Meriam, are 
described in Peleg's quitclaim as Rhoda Worthington, Eliza- 
beth Jones and Meriam Scovell. 

AUTHORITIES. 

Hadley Town Records. 

Colchester Deeds, Vol. I, p. 339, II, p. 90, V, 327. 

Gravestone of William Chamberlain at Colchester. 

Colchester Records, Vol. II, p. 445. 

East Haddam Records. 

Chamberlain Association Report, 1902, p. 30. 

Colchester was originally a part of Hartford County and remained 
so until 1 741, after which and until 1832 it was of East Haddam. 
Probate must be looked for at Hartford, East Haddam and Col- 
chester. 



u b Cbamberlatn IRccorb 



Ipcleg dbamberlain 

Born 1713. Died 

Peleg Chamberlain, son of William Chamberlain of Col- 
chester and Hebron and Sarah Day his wife, was born at Col- 
chester 25th November, 1713, and died at Kent, Conn., after 
1766, the year being uncertain. In 1743, January 30th, he was 
received into membership of the First Church at Colchester, his 
wife, Experience, having been similarly admitted 16th May, 
1742. In a deed to him dated 5th December, 1753, from Charles 
Buckley, of several lots of land in Kent, Conn., 117 acres in all, 
he is described as of Colchester. Between the latter date and 
July, 1754, he must have removed to Kent;for William, the first 
child of his second marriage, was born at Kent in that month, 
and in the quitclaim deed already mentioned,* of 8th February, 
1757, to his brothers and sisters, he is described as "of Kent." 
On ISth February, 1758, he was admitted to full communion 
in the Church at Kent on recommendation of the Church at Col- 
chester; and his wife, Jane, was similarly admitted in 1764. He 
and his wife -lane appear on the list of members of the Church 
at Kent in 176(5. Peleg Chamberlain was a soldier from Connec- 
ticut in the French and Indian War, and enlisted in the 7th or 
Captain Ichabod Phelps' Company of the 3rd, or Colonel Eli- 
phalet Dyer's Regiment, 6th September, 1755, and was dis- 
charged 25th November, 1755. He re-enlisted the same day, 
and was assigned to the 3rd, or Major Payson's, Company of 
Colonel Jonathan Bagley's Regiment, and was discharged from 
the same company, then commanded by Captain Noah Grant, f 
21st May, 1756. 

Peleg Chamberlain was married twice, as follows: First, at 

Colchester 8th May, 1735 to Experience Bartlctt, who died 21st 

March, 1748-9, aged 39, sixteen days after the birth of Expe- 

* Page i2. 

t Grandfather of Gen. U. S. Grant. 



a Chamberlain IRecorfc 15 

rience her only daughter. Second, at Colchester 16th January, 
1752 to Jane Higgins, who was living at Kent in 1766. 

His children were as follows: Of his first marriage, all of 
whom were born at Colchester, Peleg, of whom below; Eleazer, 
born 14th August, 1737, married at Kent 8th March, 1759 to 
Eleanor Pratt, and died 25th March, 1805; Nathan, baptized 
28th October, 1739, died 6th April, 1740; Nathan, baptized 19th 
April, 1741, and was living in 1794; Samuel, born 9th September, 
1743, baptized 16th October, 1743; Jonathan, born 3rd Febru- 
ary, 1745-6, baptized 30th March, 1746, and believed to have 
died at Austerlitz, Columbia County, N. Y.; Experience, born 
5th March, 1748-9, baptized 30th March, 1749, married Mr. 
Spencer and settled in Spencertown, N. Y. Of his second mar- 
riage; William, born at Kent 26th July, 1754; Elizabeth, born at 
Kent 1st August, 1762, baptized 19th September, 1762, married 
Richard Peck and died 4th May, 1838. In addition, Peleg is 
said to have had Elisha, Benjamin, Louis H., John and Sarah. 
Peleg, Jr., Eleazer, Samuel, William and (perhaps) Elisha were 
soldiers from Connecticut in the Revolutionary War. 

AUTHORITIES. 

Colchester Records. 

Records of the First Church at Colchester. Copy of in possession of the 

Chamberlain Association. 
Records of church at Kent. 
Kent Deeds, Vol. XI, p. no. 
Atwater's History of Kent, 1897. 
Collections Connecticut Historical Society, Vol. IX, pp. 34, 42, 76, 77, 

86, 87. 
Collection of Epitaphs by F. E. Randall. 
Experience Chamberlain's Gravestone, Colchester Village. 
Nathan Chamberlain's Gravestone, Colchester Village. 
Chamberlain Association Records, 1902. 
Connecticut Men in the Revolution. 
Peck Genealogy. 
Letter of Geo. W. Chamberlain. 

The Town of Kent was laid out in 17 10, but no further steps 
regarding its settlement were taken until 1737. In 1738 the town- 
ship was sold at public auction in Windham, by the Colony, and was 
bought by Humphrey Avery of Groton, who represented a Company. 



io a Chamberlain IRecorb 



pelco Cbamberlatn 

Born 1736. Died 1808. 

Peleg Chamrerlain, eldest son of Peleg Chamberlain of 
Colehester and Kent, and Experience Bartlett his wife, was horn 
at Colehester 12th May, 1736, was baptized 20 June, 1736, and 
died at New Milford, Conn., after the 7th of June, 1808, that be- 
ing the date of his will. About 1753 or 4 his father removed 
from Colchester to Kent. During the French and Indian War, 
Peleg Chamberlain (Jr.) enlisted, in August, 1757, in Captain 
Samuel Dunham's Company of Sharon (adjoining Kent), on 
alarm to relieve Fort William Henry. His future brother-in-law, 
Heman Swift was a corporal in the same Company, and one of the 
lieutenants of the company (Samuel Hubbell) was of Kent. The 
company was in service fifteen days. In the Revolutionary War, 
Peleg served as sergeant in Captain Abraham Fuller's Company, 
13th Regiment Connecticut Militia, which was in the City of 
New York in 1776. He afterwards became a resident of New 
Milford. By his will, which is dated 7th June, 1808, and was 
admitted to probate at New Milford, he describes himself as of 
New Milford, and devises and bequeaths to his wife, Jane Cham- 
berlain, the barn standing on her own land, one-third part of all 
the land of which he is possessed in his own right, all his house- 
hold furniture, excepting one bed and bedding which he brought 
into the family, and one-half of the residue of his personal estate. 
To his daughter Abigail Baldwin, wife of Nathan Gaylord Bald- 
win he makes a bequest, constitutes his daughter Rockselena 
Chamberlain his residuary legatee and devisee, and appoints his 
wife Jane Chamberlain and his son Swift Chamberlain execu- 
tors. 

Peleg Chamberlain was married twice, as follows: First, at 
Kent, 4th October, 1759 to Abigail Swift, born 1st December, 
1740; the date of her death has not been traced. She was a 
daughter of Jabez Swift and his wife Abigail Pope, and a sister of 



H Cbamberlain IRecorb 17 

Colonel and Brevet Brig. -Gen. Heman Swift, the distinguished 
Connecticut soldier of the Revolutionary War. Her father was 
a direct descendant of William Swift, who was of Watertown in 
1636, and afterwards of Sandwich, where he died in 1642. His 
wife Joan had administration on his estate 7th March, 1642-3*, 
and survived him until 1662. The line of descent from William 
and Joan is: William, married Ruth, died at Sandwich 1705;Jireh, 
born at Sandwich, 1665, married Abigail Gibbs, 26th November, 
1697, died at Wareham 1749; Jabez (father of Abigail), born at 
Sandwich 16th March, 1699, died at Wareham 2nd November, 
1767, married 9th October, 1729, Abigail Pope who died in 1776. 
Besides Abigail, Peleg Chamberlain's wife, the children of Jabez 
Swift and Abigail Pope were: Elisha, Gen. Heman (died 1814), 
Capt. Jireh, Rev. Job, Hannah, Bathsheba, Rev. Seth, and 
Patience (died young). Among the names of the original pro- 
prietors of Kent were those of Jabez and Zilpharet Swift and 
others of the same surname. Peleg Chamberlain married 
second, at New Milford, date uncertain, probably about 1788, 
Jane Baldwin, born about 1770, daughter of Israel Baldwin of 
New Milford. She survived her husband, and was co-executrix, 
with her husband's son Swift, of his will. 

Peleg Chamberlain's children as far as traced, were as fol- 
lows: Abigail, named in her father's will, married Nathan Gay- 
lord Baldwin, and died at Monkton, Vt., 30th May, 1820. Her 
children were Electa, Isaac, Roderick and Emmeline. Jireh, 
born at Kent 29th November, 1762, was living in 1832; Swift, 
of whom below; Leander, in May, 1819 was aged 53 and was 
born therefore in 1765 or 6; Rockselena, named in her father's 
will. Captain Hiram Sanborn Chamberlain living (1907) at 
Chattanooga, Tenn., is Leander's grandson. f Jireh, Swift and 
Leander, and their sister Abigail Baldwin and her husband, were 
pioneer settlers at Monkton, Vt., soon after the admission of Ver- 
mont into the Union. The three brothers were qualified voters 
there in 1798. Jireh was a selectman in 1808, and in 1812 was 
"of Ferrisburg" the adjoining township. Leander owned land in 

* Plymouth Colony Records, Court Orders, p. 53. 

t The line of Leander Chamberlain, contributed by Captain 
Chamberlain, has been appended to this Record and will be found on 
pp. 33 et seq. 



18 a Chamberlain IRccorfc 

Ferrisburg in 1804. They were all Revolutionary War Pen- 
sioners. Jireh served in the Connecticut Militia; Swift's ser- 
vice is given below; and Leander served in Capt. Ephraim Kira- 
herlev's Company, 2nd Connecticut Line, the same regiment 
that Swift served in. 

AUTHORITIES. 

Colchester Town and Church Records. 

Kent Town and Church Records. 

Collections Connecticut Historical Society, Vol. IX, p. 206. 

Connecticut Men in the Revolution, p. 466 and pp. 365, 370, 629. 

New Milford Probate, Vol. II, p. 108. 

Swift Genealogy (pamphlet). 

Atwater's History of Kent. 

Heitman's Historical Register of the Officers of the Continental Army. 

Baldwin Genealogy, pp. 120, 506. 

Register of the Military Order Loyal Legion, U. S., iqo6. 

U. S. Pension Records. 

Monkton Town Records. 

Senate Documents — List of Pensioners, under the Act of iSth March, 

1 818, printed, Washington, 1835. 
Smith's History of Addison County, Vt., Chapter 26. 



H Chamberlain IRecorfc 19 



Swift Chamberlain 

Born 1764. Died 1828. 

Swift Chamberlain, son of Peleg Chamberlain and his 
wife Abigail Swift, was born at Kent, Conn. In April, 1818, he 
was aged 53, and the year of his birth was therefore 1764 or 5. 
He died at Monkton, Vt., 25th November, 1828, his gravestone 
says (incorrectly) in his 61st year. He was named in his father's 
will as co-executor with his stepmother Jane Chamberlain. In 
the Revolutionary War, at the age of seventeen, Swift Chamber- 
lain, of Kent, enlisted 3rd February, 1781, for three years, as a 
private in the 2nd Regiment Connecticut Line, and served in 
that regiment continuously until its final muster-out in December, 
1783. He was in the companies of Captains Stephen Billings, 
Timothy Taylor and Aaron Benjamin, and was sergeant under 
the latter officer. He originally joined the 2nd Connecticut in 
its "second formation," and, on the disbandment of the Army in 
June, 1783, remained in the regiment in its "final formation" 
and until it was disbanded in December, 1783. The 2nd Regi- 
ment of the "final formation June-December, 1783," was one of 
seven regiments retained in the service after June, 1783, by Gen. 
Washington's orders. The Colonel of the 2nd Connecticut 
during 1781-2-3 was Colonel and Brevet Brig. -Gen. Heman 
Swift, Swift Chamberlain's maternal uncle. After the war, 
Swift Chamberlain seems to have been a school teacher at New 
Milford where his father probably then lived, and to have mar- 
ried there. His wife lived a number of years after the marriage 
and certainly until July, 1792. Before that date he must have 
thought of settling in Vermont, then recently admitted into the 
Union as a new State (admitted 4th March, 1781), for before 
1789 he had taken up land in Monkton, Addison County, Vt., 
as a settler and had taken the freeman's oath. "Swift Chamber- 
lain located about a mile northwest of the borough." On 19th 
July, 1794, "Swift Chamberlain of New Milford" bought of 



20 a Chamberlain IRecorfc 

Joseph Wastcott 50 acres in Monkton, of the right of Amos 
Northrop ; and on 24th December, L796 "Swift Chamberlain of 
Monkton" deeded land in Monkton to Abel Gunn. This deed 
was to secure Abel Gunn and Nathan Gaylord Baldwin (the 
husband of Swift's .sister Abigail), who, in conjunction with 
Swift, had given bond to Eno Camp of New Milford that Sarah 
Chamberlain (apparently Swift's daughter) should, on reaching 
the age of 21 years in July, 1813, deed to Camp two pieces of 
land in New Milford. In 1798 Swift and his brothers, Jireh 
and Leander, were qualified voters at Monkton. After the 
death, in 1808, of Peleg, Swift's father, Daniel Ferris of Monk- 
confirmed to Swift Chamberlain, by dec! of 27th November, 
1809, "that land he sold to Peleg Chamberlain, Joseph Wastcott 
and Swift Chamberlain not surveyed" etc.; and in 1815 Swift 
witnessed a Ava\ from his brother Jireh to his daughter Sarah. 
Under the Act of Congress of ISth March, 1818, he applied, 24th 
April, 1818, for a pension, which was allowed from that date, 
and he was put on the pension rolls 27th September, 181!). 

Swift Chamberlain was married twice, as follows: First, at 
New Milford, date uncertain, probably about 1789, to Sarah 
Sherwood, said to have been an orphan. She died between July, 
L792, and March, 179"). Second, at Bristol, Vt., 8th March, 
L795 to Mary Tuttle, born in 1779, daughter of Thomas Tuttle, 
then of Brandon, Vt. She became a U.S. pensioner in 1S49, at 
the age of 70, survived her husband thirty years and died at 
Monkton, Vt., 20th January, 1858 in her 80th year. 

His children were as follows: Of ins first marriage: a child, 
died in infancy; Sarah, born at New Milford July, 1792, married 
Edward Hall of Charlotte, Vt. Of his second marriage, all 
born at Monkton: Hiram, of whom below; Amanda, born 7th 
April, 1799, married William Porter and lived at Hudson, Ohio; 
Pamelia, born 2nd March., 1801; Homer, born 1th March, 1804; 
Diantha, born 21th December (record torn) said to have mar- 
ried Mr. Breck and lived in New burg, Ohio; Jerush.a, born 10th 
January, 1810, said to have married Mr. Jones and lived in 
Watertown, Ind.; Peleg, born 27th December, 1812, settled at 
Gouverneur, St. Lawrence County, New York, where he died 
loth November, 1873. He married Selima, who survived him, 



H Cbamberiain IRecorfc 21 

and died in 1902 at Gouverneur. His daughter Leonora mar- 
ried Gen. Albert Milton Barney, U. S. Volunteers, and Colonel 
142nd Regiment New York Volunteers, and died soon after her 
marriage. General Barney died at New York 24th August, 
1886. Emily (record says Amelia) born 6th January, 1815, 
married Ryland Doten (or Doughton), lived with her mother at 
Monkton, in 1849, and was still living in 1874; Hector, born 
13th January, 1817, lived in Missouri with his brother Hiram, 
died in 1842 and was buried at St. Charles, Mo.; Marcus, born 
25th January, 1820, died at Gouverneur, New York; his children 
George, Julia and Emily (husband's name Burns) lived in Law- 
rence, Mass., in 1874. Henry Martin, born 5th August, 1824, 
lived in Polk, Pa., in 1874, and is said to have been a Methodist 
minister. 

Swift Chamberlain and his son Hiram each gave the name "Henry 
Martin" to one of his sons; the former to his last born (1824) the latter 
to his first born (1826). 

AUTHORITIES 

U. S. Pension Records, Widow file 1555, Revolutionary War. 

Peleg Chamberlain's will: New Milford Probate, Vol. VI, p. 108. 

Swift Chamberlain's Gravestone at Monkton, Vt. 

Record of service of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution 

pp. 326, 365-6 and 368-9. 
Historical Reg. of Officers of the Continental Army. 
Smith's History of Addison County, Vt., Chapter XXVI, p. 514-5. 
Monkton Records and Deeds. 
List of Pensioners, Printed: Washington, 1820. 
Senate Documents, Pension Roll, Printed: Washington, 1835. 
Private Record printed in History of New Milford. 
Mary Tuttle Chamberlain's gravestone at Monkton. 
Monkton Birth Records. 
Will of Peleg Chamberlain of Gouverneur, Surrogate's Records, Canton, 

N. Y. 
Petition for Probate of same (1873). 
Decree of Settlement (1902). 
Records New York Commandery, M. O. Loyal Legion U. S. 



22 a Chamberlain IRccotft 



Hiram Chamberlain 

Born 1797. Died 1866. 

Hiram Chamberlain, son of Swift Chamberlain and his 
wife Mary Tuttle, was born at Monkton, Yt., 1st April, 1797, 
and died at Brownsville, Texas, 1st November, 1806. It is to be 
regretted that no memorials of the events of his boyhood and 
early youth are accessible, for that these would have proved in- 
teresting and instructive can hardly be doubted. When it is 
remembered that he was born in the log cabin of a hardy pioneer, 
the eldest child of a family of twelve, and probably grew up a 
stranger to the refinements, social intercourse and educational 
privileges of older communities, the fact that, notwithstanding 
these disadvantages, and apparently through his own ability and 
unaided efforts he rose superior to his surroundings, and became 
a cultured well educated man, bears testimony to a marked in- 
dividuality of character that invites admiration, as well as to the 
dignified, self respecting and so far as practical, educated char- 
acter of that generation of pioneer New Englanders. 

In 1818 he made profession of religion at Rev. Dr. Gardner 
Spring's Presbyterian Church in the City of New York, and soon 
after entered Middlebury College in his native county in Ver- 
mont, from which he graduated in 1S22. It was probably during 
his college life at Middlebury and earlier, that he "taught school" 
in Essex County, N. Y., on the opposite shore of Lake Cham- 
plain, at Lewis and Sharetown. Early in November, 1822 he 
entered Andover Theological Seminary as a student, graduating 
in 1825 after a course of about a year (probably in 1823-4), at 
Princeton Theological Seminarv. Among Mr. Chamberlain's 
classmates at Andover were John Todd, afterwards pastor of 
the Congregational Church at Pittsfield, Mass.; Jacob Abbott, 
author of the Polio books and Franconia books; John Maltby, 
afterwards pastor Hammond St. Congregational Church at 
Bangor, Maine. Professor Leonard Bacon (Yale); Rev. George 



a Chamberlain iRecorb 23 

Blackdon, Old South Church, Boston; Professor George Shep- 
pard (Bangor); and Rev. Edward Beecher (brother of Henry 
Ward) were all fellow students of Mr. Chamberlain at Andover, 
but in other classes. 

It is of course impossible at this time to recover the details of 
his student career; but at the completion of his educational course 
in his 29th year, there is every indication that he was of high 
personal character, of great promise and able to make and keep 
friends whose interest must have been due to attractive qualities. 

In the spring of 1825, Mr. Chamberlain took an active and 
prominent part in the movement which had its rise at Andover, 
looking to the establishment of a National Domestic Missionary 
Society, and with which the origin and subsequent organization 
(in 1826) of the American Home Missionary Society was directly 
and closely connected. One result of this interest in home mis- 
sions was shown in the determination of six Andover graduates 
of 1825, Mr. Chamberlain among the number, to devote them- 
selves to missionary labors in the Western and Southern States. 
To that end four of these, Messrs. Pomeroy, Alden, Ellis, and 
Bingham, were ordained in the Old South Church, Boston, 29th 
September, 1825; and another, Mr. Foster, at Rutland, Vt., 19th 
October, 1825. Mr. Chamberlain being a member of Dr. 
Spring's church in New York received ordination as an evan- 
gelist or missionary from the New York Presbytery 16th October, 
1825. Ten days after his ordination Mr. Chamberlain and his 
first wife were married at Dorset, Vt., and immediately there- 
after, in furtherance of the resolution made at Andover, he re- 
moved to Missouri, where, under commission from the United 
Domestic Missionary Society of New York, he entered upon his 
career of missionary work at St. Louis, remaining in that city un- 
til 1827, in which year he became the pastor at "Dardonne," Mo. 
From 1828 to 1834, he was the pastor at Boonville, Mo., being 
also, in 1828, agent of the American Home Missionary Society. 
He was the pastor at New Franklin and Fayette, Mo., in 1834 
and 1835, and also, in 1834, agent of Marion College. During 
the years from 1835 to 1841 his pastorate duties were at St. 
Charles, Mo., and from the latter year until early in 1845 he 
edited and published the "Herald of Religious Liberty" at 



24 a Chamberlain IRecorfc 

St. Louis. Relinquishing the editorial chair of the Herald, he 
removed to Tennessee, and became the pastor at Memphis from 
1845 to 1S47, and at Somerville and Bethany from 1847 to 1850. 
In the latter year in the most southerly part of distant Texas — 
only then recently admitted as a state of the Union — he became 
the pastor at Brownsville (the Fort Brown of the Mexican War) 
on the lower Rio Grande, opposite H. Matamoros, Mexico. 
There he continued to reside, engaged in the work of his pastor- 
ate, until his death in 1800, having faithfully and ably devoted 
forty years of his life to the cause of Home Missions. No volun- 
tary, self-denying promise was ever more sacredly kept and 
resolutely redeemed. The Presbyterian Church at Brownsville, 
the first protestant church on the Rio Grande, was erected 
through his instrumentality, and stood as a fitting monument to 
his influence, ability and devotion until its destruction in the 
tornado of 1867. At the time of his death Mr. Chamberlain was 
Worshipful Master of Rio Grande Lodge No. 81, F. A. M., and 
District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the State 
of Texas. 

"And when they buried him, the little port 
Had seldom seen a costlier funeral." 

Hiram Chamberlain was married thrice as follows: First, 
at Dorset, Vermont, 2Cth October, 1825 to Maria Morse; born at 
West Hartford, Connecticut (parentage and date of birth not 
traced), died at New Franklin, Mo., 24th March, 1835, and was 
buried there with an infant son. 

Second, in Missouri (probably at St. Charles) 19th April, 
1836, to Sarah H. Wardlaw; born at New Providence, Rock- 
bridge County, \ a. (parentage and date of birth not traced), 
died in May, 1840, and lies buried at her place of birth. 

Third, at Pinekney, Mo., 16th October, 1842 to Anna Adelia 
Griswold, born at Wethersfield, Conn., 12th April, 1810, daugh- 
ter of William Griswold and Aura Case, died at Brooklyn, N.Y., 
24th November, 1882, and was buried at Brownsville, Texas. 
She was a direct lineal descendant of Edward Griswold, immi- 
grant and progenitor, who came from Warwickshire, England, 
and settled at Windsor, Conn., in 1039; the line of ancestry being 



H Chamberlain IRecorfc 25 

Edward, George, Benjamin, Benjamin, Sylvanus, William, 
Anna Adelia. 

Hiram Chamberlain's children were as follows: Of his first 
marriage: Henry Martin, born at St. Louis, Mo., 25 September, 
1826, died soon after birth; Henrietta Maria, born 21st July, 
1832, residing at Corpus Christi, Texas; married Captain 
Richard King. (Her children were Henrietta, wife of Brigadier- 
General Edward Atwood, U. S. A.; Ella, wife of Louis Welton; 
Richard, married Elizabeth Pearl Ashbrook; Alice, wife of Robert 
Kleberg; and Lee, died unmarried.) Payson Dwight, born at 
New Franklin, Mo., 4th March, 1835, died soon after birth and 
was buried with his mother. Of his second marriage, there were 
no children. Of his third marriage; Hiram, born at St. Charles, 
Mo., 28th April, 1843, married Mattie Wiesiger, died childless at 
Danville, Ky., July, 1879; Milton Griswold, born at St. Louis, 
Mo., 11th September, 1845, died 16th June, 1847; Daniel Baker, 
born at Somerville, Tenn., 24th November, 1847, died young; 
Peter Bland, born at Somerville, Tenn., 18th December, 1848, 
died 1882, married Filipa. (His children were Albert, Bland, 
Carrie, Virginia, Minnie, Alice, Adelina.) William Chapman, 
born at Brownsville, Texas, 2nd October, 1850, residing at 
Laredo, Texas, is married and has several children; James 
Wardlaw, born at Brownsville, Texas, 1852, died young; Adelia, 
of whom below; Edwin, born at Brownsville, Texas, 30th 
November, 1857, residing at San Antonio, Texas; married 
Adelaide Gillette, daughter of Fidelio B. and Sarah Gillette, 
a direct lineal descendant of William Gillette, an expelled 
Huguenot, of Rochelle, France, who settled in Connecticut about 
1688 — the line being William, Elisha, Fidelio Buckingham, 
Abram Dunn, Fidelio Buckingham, Adelaide. (His surviving 
children are Fidelio Gillette, a graduate of Princeton Univer- 
sity, class of '07, and Edmund.) 

[Since writing the foregoing sketch of the Rev. Hiram Cham- 
berlain, I have been shown a printed copy of "An Historical 
Sermon" delivered in the Presbyterian Church at Boonville, 
Mo., 27th August, 1876, by the pastor, Rev. O. W. Gauss, in 
which the statement is made that "Rev. Hiram Chamberlain 
came to this point about the close of the year 1828 from Jefferson 



26 b Cbambcrlain IRecorfc 

Barracks, where he was Chaplain." In answer to an enquiry made 
by me of my friend Gen. Robert Shaw Oliver, the Assistant 
Secretary of War, I am informed by the Adjutant General that 
"chaplains of posts were not authorized by law prior to the act of 
Congress approved July 5, 1838, and that no record has been 
found of the service of Rev. Hiram Chamberlain as Chaplain." 
I learn further, from Mr. Gauss' sermon, that in 1832 Mr. Cham- 
berlain was the chairman of the original committee of citizens of 
Boonville and of the first commission formed for the purpose of 
putting up a church at Boonville; and that he raised funds for the 
purpose, probably in the East, part of which was used to pur- 
chase the land on which the first church was subsequently erected 
in 1840, as well as the second church in 1873. Part of this hind 
is said to have been subsequently invested in or with Minion 
College, and lost with the failure of the College. On 2ord April, 
;. Mr. Chamberlain reported to the Board that he had pur- 
chased the lot of land of Mr. Hannah, and the lot was deeded to 
Mr. Chamberlain for the congregation. When the second 
church was built, in 1873, the old building was altered into a 
d welling house for the pastor's use. The first or original church 
building was erected in 1840, six years after Mr. Chamberlain's 
departure from Boonville, and about the time he went from St. 
CI arles to St. Louis as Editor and Publisher of the Herald of 
Religious Liberty. 10 May, 1907. — Wm. J. Harding.] 

AUTHORITIES. 

Middlebury College Records and General Catalogue. 

An dover Theological Seminary Records and General Catalogue. 

Princeton Theological Seminary Records and General Catalogue. 

Family Archives. 

Thompson's Vermont (year [822). 

History of the Origin and Organization of the American Home Mission- 
ary Society by Rev. Nathaniel Bouton, I). D., of Concord, N. H., 
New York, i860. 

Herald of Religious Liberty, Vol. i, No. 28, St. Louis, 26th December 
1844, No. 31, 1 6th January, 1845. 

Monkton, Vermont, Records. 

Gravestones of Hiram and Anna A. Chamberlain at Brownsville, Tex. 

Griswold Family Genealogical Record in possession of Col. Wm. J. 
Harding. 

Memoir of A. D. Gillette, New York, Ward & Drummond 1883. 



a Chamberlain iRecorfc 27 



H^dia Cbamberlatn 

(Wife of Colonel Win. J. Harding). 

Adelia Chamberlain, daughter of Rev. Hiram Chamber- 
lain and his wife Anna Adelia Griswold, was born at Browns- 
ville, Texas, 16th June, 1S55, and passed her early years amidst 
the exciting scenes which grew out of the border raids of the 
Mexican bandit, Cortinas, the civil war and the military occu- 
pation of Mexico by the French. On 25th November, 1873, 
Miss Chamberlain united in marriage, at New Brunswick, 
N. J., where her mother then resided, with William James 
Harding, of New York, the eldest son of William Harding and 
his wife Elizabeth Mary Stenner, born 28th November, 1840, 
in England. Mrs. Harding is a member of the Dixie Club 
of New York, a member-elect of the Society of Daughters 
of Founders and Patriots of America, and a member of the 
Society of the Daughters of the Revolution. In the Civil War 
Mr. Harding was private, corporal and sergeant in the 7th 
New Hampshire regiment, adjutant of the 38th Regiment U. S. 
Infantry and captain in the same regiment. He served in 
the 10th, 24th and 25th Army Corps, at the siege of Charles- 
ton, in the Florida campaign, and with the Armies of the 
Potomac and the James in the Richmond and Petersburg 
campaign of 1864 and 5. In 1865 and 6, he was at Browns- 
ville and other places in Texas, on duty with Gen. Sheridan's 
army of observation, and served as adjutant-general and in- 
spector-general of Gen. Giles A. Smith's 1st Division, 25th 
Army Corps. Upon leaving the army in 1867, Colonel Harding 
took up the study of the law in New York; entered Columbia 
College, from which he was graduated LL.B.; was admitted 
to the bar in 1872, and has ever since resided in New York 
and Brooklyn in the practice of his profession. From 1867 
to 1895, he was in the military service of New York, and 
served twenty years in the 22nd Regiment as private, adjutant, 



28 H Cbamberlain IRecorfc 

captain and lieutenant-colonel, and as chief-of-staff of the 
New York City Brigade; four years in the 13th Regiment as 
lieutenant-colonel, and as colonel of the 1st Provisional Regi- 
ment; and four years on the general staff as colonel and in- 
spector-general of the State. On retiring, in 1895, Colonel 
Harding was awarded the State Gold Medal for 25 years faith- 
ful service. Besides being a member of the Union League 
Club of Brooklyn, a companion of the New York Com- 
mandery of the Loyal Legion, a comrade of the Grand Army 
of the Republic, a member of the Society of the Army of the 
Potomac, a member of the Association of the Alumni of 
Columbia University, and of other military and social societies, 
Colonel Harding has been president of the State National Guard 
Association, president of the Veteran Association of the Depart- 
ment of the South, and commander of U. S. Grant Post of 
Brooklyn. There have been born to Colonel and Mrs. Hard- 
ing, four children, viz.: William Becket, born 18th June, 1875; 
Adelia Caroline, born 31st December, 1876; Edward Alexander, 
born 30th October, 1878, died 8th February, 1893; and George 
Chamberlain, born 23rd February 1880. William Becket 
Harding received his education at Adelphi Academy (College), 
Brooklyn, and is a companion, of the second class, of the 
Military Order of the Loyal Legion. He served in the Navy 
throughout the Spanish War, on the Yankee, Capt. Bronson, 
U. S. X., commanding, which was manned by the Naval 
Reserve of New York City. He was married 21st November, 
1901, to Florence Isabel, daughter of Josiah and Hannah Christ- 
mas, "1 Brooklyn, and has one child, Marion Christmas, born 
24th April, 1906. Miss Harding is a graduate of Adelphi 
Academy, and was valedictorian and president of her class. 
She is the recording secretary of the Daughters of the Loyal 
Legion, a member of the Society of the Daughters of the Rev- 
olution, and a member-elect of the Society of Daughters of 
Founders and Patriots of America. George Chamberlain 
Harding was educated at Adelphi Academy, and is a member 
of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, of the 
Socict;. of Colonial Wars and of the Society of Sons of the 
Revolution. 



Hncestrs ot 

Capt Hiram 5. Cbamberlatn 



Xine of descent. 



Henry Chamberlain 
of Hingham and Hull, Mass. 

William Chamberlain 
of Hull, Massachusetts. 

Joseph Chamberlain 
of Hull and Hadley, Mass., and Colchester, Conn. 

William Chamberlain 
of Colchester, Conn. 

Peleg Chamberlain 

of Colchester and Kent, Conn. 

Peleg Chamberlain 
of Kent and New Milford, Conn. 

Leander Chamberlain 
of Monkton, Vt. 

Leander Chamberlain 
of Malone, N.Y. and Solon, Ohio 

Hiram S. Chamberlain 
of Chattanooga, Tenn. 



a Cbamberlatn IRecorfc 33 

Xeanfcer Chamberlain 

Born 1766. Died 1822. 

Leander Chamberlain, son of Peleg Chamberlain and 
his wife Abigail Swift,* was born 25th January, 1766, in Litch- 
field County, Connecticut. At the age of fifteen he enlisted for 
three years as a soldier in the Revolutionary War, in the Company 
of Capt. Ephraim Kimberly, 2nd regiment Connecticut Line, 
Colonel Heman Swift, serving in the same regiment with his 
brother Swift Chamberlain, the colonel being his mother's 
brother. 

He was married in 1788, at the age of twenty-two, to Mercy 
Berry, daughter of Ebenezer Berry. After his marriage he 
removed to Monkton, Addison County, Vermont, then an un- 
broken wilderness, and engaged in farming. Leander Chamber- 
lain, was a man of no ordinary ability and filled a number of 
important offices in both Church and State, and was at his death 
a minister in the Congregational Church. By industry and 
economy he amassed a comfortable property; but it was all swept 
away near the close of his life, through the failure of the county 
sheriff, whose bondsman he was, and he was left peniless. At 
that time his daughter Marcia, who was married and living in 
central New York, insisted on his coming to her home. He 
accordingly gathered together what little he had left and started 
by wagon, a distance of three hundred miles, accompanied by 
the family remaining with him, consisting of his wife, his daugh- 
ter Samantha and his son Leander. On the third day of the 
journey the beloved wife was taken violently ill, and died three 
days afterwards. She was buried among strangers in the town 
of Sangersfield, New York. With mournful and heavy hearts 
the journey was resumed and ended at Groton, New York, with- 
out further serious misfortune. Here Leander Chamberlain 
was called to preach in a neighboring town, but about three weeks 
afterwards all plans were rudely broken in upon. While he was 

* See page 16. 



34 a Chamberlain IRecorfc 

at his church with his two daughters a most violent and destruc- 
tive tornado passed over the country and left him lifeless, his 
two daughters seriously injured and the house in ruins. Thus, 
within four short weeks, both Leander Chamberlain and his 
wife were taken from their children. His death occurred in his 
fifty-sixth year, on 16th June, 1822. 

Ten children were born to them, two of whom died when 
quite young; the others lived their three score years and ten. 
The first, Jehiel, born 6th March, 1790, married Luray Gimnell; 
the second, Harmon, born 13th January, 1792, married Abigail 
Mum ford; the third, Abigail, born 24th January, 1794, married 
L. Peck; the fourth, Marcia, born 31st May, 1796, married Ben- 
jamine Berry; the fifth, Betsey, born 31st May, 1798, married 
John Smith; the sixth, Cassendara, born February 20th, 1800, 
married Samuel Culver; the seventh, Jireh, born January, 1802, 
died 1808; the eighth, Leander, born 16th April, 1804, married 
Susanna WlLLEY; the ninth, Samantha, born 10th August, 
1806; the tenth, Swift, born 1809, died the same year. 

AUTHORITIES. 
Record of Connecticut Men in the War of the Revolution, pages 365- 

37°- 
The record of Leander Chamberlain, written on the fiftieth anni- 
versary of his marriage at Solon, Ohio, 1877, and copied from the 
"Record of how he kept the golden wedding," pages 40-43. 



H Cbamberlain IRecorfc 35 



Xeanfcer Chamberlain 

Born 1804. Died 1884. 

Leander Chamberlain, son of Leander Chamberlain and 
his wife Mercy Berry, was born at Ferrisburg, Addison County, 
Vermont, 16th April, 1804 and remained with his parents until 
he was seventeen years old, when their death took place as al- 
ready recorded. He remained for a while in the vicinity of 
Groton, New York, then went back to his native place in Ver- 
mont for one. year, and at the end of that time bought a farm in 
Franklin County, New York. He was married 12th December, 
1S27 to Susanna Willey, daughter of Ansel Willey. After living 
in Constable two years they moved to a neighboring town, 
Malone. Subsequently, and after several children had been 
born to them, they left their home in New York and with friends 
pressed westward to Ohio, an over-land wagon journey of twenty- 
four days. They finally settled in Solon, Cuyahoga County 
Ohio, in 1840, where, in the Western Reserve, on a beautiful 
dairy farm, they made an ideal home for more than a half century. 
Here the younger children were born until the family numbered 
eight. Of these five were boys and three girls, and all grew 
to manhood and womanhood, and were living in 1866; since then 
one son and one daughter have died. Three of the sons served 
in the Union Army during the Civil War. In 1877 Leander 
Chamberlain and his wife Susanna kept their golden wedding 
by a family reunion of children and grand children at their home, 
all coming from far and near to bring love and greetings. Of 
them that day the journalist wrote, "How good it seems that 
people should grow old gracefully and sweetly. It is this that 
kept Leander Chamberlain young and his wife happy. Their 
children are growing gray with the tally marks of unrelenting 
time, yet all are young and joyous and happy. Rarely do we 
meet so many strong, vigorous persons of the same family. 
Rarely do we find all of a family so agreeable, all honored mem- 



36 a Chamberlain IRecorfc 

bers of society where they live, with intelligence, culture and 
energy above the average. All were glad to be present and the 
hearts of the aged mother and father were filled with unspeak- 
able pleasure and thankfulness." The memory of their " Golden 
Wedding" lingered with them during the remaining days of their 
life. Leander Chamberlain died 27th July, 1884, and his wife 
Susanna "Wilier Chamberlain 24th March, 1887. 

The children of Leander and Susanna Chamberlain were, 
first, Corydon Samuel, born in Constable, New York, 21st Sep- 
tember, 1828, married (1st) Elizabeth Bissell in 1849; (2nd) 
Mary A. Jennings in 1858, now living in Bainbridge, O.; second, 

>el Leander, born in Malone, New York, 30th August, 1830, 
married Martha L. Lines settled in Iowa at Agency City, died 
13th November, 1880; third, Cassendena, born in Malone, N.Y., 
1th November, 1832, married Oliver Wells, now living in Bed- 
ford, Ohio; fourth, Hiram Sanborn, born in Franklin, Portage 
County, Ohio, (ith August, 1835, married Amelia Morrow 4th 
September, 1807, now living in Chattanooga, Tenn.; fifth, Harriet 
Nancy, born in Franklin, Ohio, 11th March, 1838, married Dr. 
Joseph P. Russell, died 1870; sixth, William Porter, born in 
Solon, Ohio, 2nd December, 1840, married (1st) Mary E. Mor- 
row, 180!) and (2nd) Kale Harper in 1873, and is now living in 
Evnoxville, Term.; seventh, Susan Maria, born in Solon, Ohio, 
"!h November, 1811, married Roldon O. Hensdale, and is 
now living in Wadsworth, Ohio; eighth, Elihu Burritt, born in 
Solon, Ohio, 5th October, 1X17, died 2nd December, 1807, at 
Agency City, Iowa. 

AUTHORITIES. 

Family History by Leander Chamberlain in " Golden Wedding Book." 
Family records and personal testimony. 



a Chamberlain IRecorfc 37 



fttlram Sanborn Chamberlain 

Born 1835. 

Hiram Sanborn Chamberlain, son of Leander Chamber- 
lain and his wife Susanna Willey, was born in Franklin, Portage 
County, Ohio, 6th August, 1835, and was educated at the Eclec- 
tic Institute of Hiram, Ohio, afterwards Hiram College. While 
not at school, and with the exception of a year spent with his 
brother in Iowa, his boyhood was spent on his father's farm in 
Cuyahoga County and in teaching, until the breaking out of the 
Civil War. He enlisted in the Second Ohio Cavalry, in July, 
1861, and was mustered out as Captain and Assistant Quarter- 
master, at Knoxville, Tenn., 8th November, 1865. He was at 
Knoxville in 1863 with Gen. Burnside's army as chief quarter- 
master of General Carter's Cavalry Division, and on entering 
the city was placed in charge of the quartermaster's department 
of the army at that point on the staff of the commanding general. 
"He was in a position to treat the citizens liberally and he did it. 
No man is entitled to more credit for establishing an equitable 
and practical basis upon which to reach settlements for property 
taken or destroyed than was Capt. Chamberlain." An official 
account by a Loyal Legion compiler of his military record ex- 
tending over a period of over four years is appended. 

On leaving the army he was so in love with the South that he 
determined to make it his home, and for more than forty years 
he has steadily devoted his ability and energy toward developing 
her resources. No one has labored more earnestly, efficiently 
and successfully for the up-building of Tennessee's industrial and 
material interest. He at once engaged in the iron and coal busi- 
ness in Knoxville and has followed it to the present time. He 
was married 4th September, 1867 to Amelia I. Morrow of Knox- 
ville, Tennessee, and has still surviving a family of five children, 
all living at this time (1907) in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to which 
point he moved with his family in 1871. 



38 a Chamberlain IRecorfc 

Capt. Chamberlain organized the Knoxville Iron Company 
in 1867, which is still one of the largest and most prosperous con- 
cerns in the South. In 1SG8 in connection with Gen. John T. 
Wilder he organized the Roane Iron Company, at present capi- 
talized at one million dollars, of which he is President and one of 
the largest stock holders. He is also President of the Citico 
Furnace Company, which he organized with Edward Doud in 
18S2. He is President of the Sale Creek Coal Company, Vice- 
President of the New Soddy Coal Company and of the Fox Coal 
Company, Vice-President of the First National Bank of Chatta- 
nooga, and a Director in many other leading banks and manu- 
facturing industries of East Tennessee. 

He has been prominent in educational and charitable work 
during his whole business life. lie was for many years Presi- 
dent of the School Board of Chattanooga and is now President 
of the Board of Trustees of the University of Chattanooga, while 
for the past twenty years he has been President of the Associate 
Charities of Chattanooga and was one of the founders and is a 
Trustee of Erlanger Hospital. His interests are not limited to 
his own locality, as he has for many years been an active member 
of scientific, historic and patriotic societies, among them being 
the American Institute of Mining Engineers, the National Asso- 
ciation of Manufacturers, the National Geographic Society, the 
Grand Army of the Republic, Society of the Army of the Cumber- 
land, and Ohio Commanderv of the Loyal Legion. He has a 
beautiful home at historic "Fort Sheridan," one of the outlying 
fortifications of Chattanooga. 

The children of Hiram Sanborn Chamberlain and his wife 
Amelia Morrow Chamberlain are, first, Minnie Morrow Cham- 
berlain, born at Knoxville, Tenn., 28th January, 1869, a grad- 
uate of Vassar College, Class of IKS!), married Henry Overton 
Ewing, 20th January, 181)2, who died 16th March, 1905. Their 
children are Margaret Louise, born 5th March, 1893, in Chatta- 
nooga; Rosalind, born 28th July, 1894 on Lookout Mountain; 
Winifred, born 21st December, L899 in Chattanooga. Second, 
Mary Hattie, born 9th July, 1S71 at Knoxville, Tennessee, died 
9th November, 1873. Third, Susanna Willev, born 4th June 
1874 at Chattanooga, a graduate of Vassar College, Class of 1896. 



a Cbamberlain IRecorb 39 

Fourth, Louise Armstrong, born 24th May, 1877 at Chattanooga, 
a graduate of Vassar College, Class of 1898, married Richard 
Archer Clifford, 20th December, 1900. They have one child 
Charlotte Bennett, born 21st October, 1901. Fifth, Morrow 
Chamberlain, born 12th December, 1879, at Chattanooga, Ten- 
nessee, a graduate of Lehigh University, Class of 1900, married 
May Douglas, 12th June, 1906 in Knoxville. Sixth, Hiram San- 
born, Jr., born 26th June, 1882 at Chattanooga, Tenn., a grad- 
uate of Lehigh University, Class of 1903. 



ARMY RECORD OF 

CAPTAIN HIRAM S. CHAMBERLAIN, 

U. S. VOLUNTEERS.* 

Entered service as Private Co. B, 2nd Ohio Volunteer Cav- 
alry, August 24, 1861 at Cleveland, Ohio, promoted Corporal 
and Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant. 

Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant July 7, 1862. 1st Lieuten- 
ant February 23, 1863. 

Acting Regimental Quartermaster June to August, 1863. 
Acting Assistant Quartermaster of Brigade and Carter's Cavalry 
Division 23rd Corps Department Ohio, August to September, 
1863. Acting Post Quartermaster at Knoxville, Tenn., Septem- 
ber 8, 1863 to May 8, 1864. 

Appointed and Commissioned Captain and Assistant Quar- 
termaster U. S. Volunteers and assigned as Post Quartermaster, 
at Knoxville, Tenn. 

Participated in the following service, viz.: Regiment organ- 
ized at Cleveland and Camp Dennison, Ohio. Duty at Camp 
Dennison, Ohio, December 1, 1861 to January 27, 1862; En- 
gaged in scout duty on Missouri Border January 27 to February 
18, 1862; Expedition to Fort Scott Kansas, February 18 to March 
2nd; Attached to Doubleday's Brigade, Department Missouri, to 
July, 1862; Skirmish at Independence February 22nd; Expedi- 
tion to Diamond Grove, Kansas, April 15 to May 7th; Action at 
Horse Creek May 7th; Expedition into Indian Territory May 

* "By a Loyal Legion compiler." See p. 37. 



40 a Cbamberlatn IRecorfc 

25th to July 8th; Grand River June 6th; Capture of Fort Gibson 
July 18th; Bayou Bernard July 27; Attached to Salomon's Bri- 
gade 1st Division; Army Frontier July to August; Montevally 
August 5th; Lone Jack August 11th; Attached to 1st Brigade 
Department of Kansas to December; Blount's Campaign in Mo. 
and Ark. September 17 to December 3, 1862; Expedition to 
Sarcoxie September 28th to 30th; Newtonia September 29th to 
30th; Occupation of Newtonia October 4th; Old Ft. Wayne 
October 22nd; Marianna November 7th and 8th; Skirmishes at 
Carthage, Cow Hill, Wolf Creek, Cow Skin Prairie, Maysville 
and White River; Action at Cane Hill November 28th and 29th; 
Battle of Prairie Grove December 7th; Duty at Columbus, 
Ohio, December 1862 to March 1863; Moved to Somerset, Ky. 
and duty there till June 27th; Attached to Kautz's Cavalry Bri- 
gade Department Ohio, March to June; Skirmishes about Mon- 
ticello April 26 to May 2nd; Monticello and Rocky Gap June 
9th; Steuben ville June 9th; Attached to 3rd Brigade 1st Divi- 
sion 23rd Corps, Department Ohio, to August, 1863; Colum- 
bia, Ky., July 3rd; Pursuit of Scott's Forces July 25th to Aug- 
ust 6th; Near Rogersville July 27th; Richmond July 28th; 
Winchester and Blue Lick July 30th; Paint Lick Bridge 
July 31st; Lancaster August 1st; Attached to 3rd Brigade, 
4th Division, 23rd Corps, Department Ohio to September, 
1863; March over Cumberland Mountains into Fast Tenn. 
August Kith to September 2nd; Winter's Gap August 31st; 
Loudon Bridge and occupation of Knoxville September 2nd. 
Detached from Regiment September 8th, 1S63, and assigned to 
duty as Post Quartermaster at Knoxville, Tenn., serving as such 
till March, 1X6."); Siege of Knoxville November 1 7th to December 
5th, 1863; Assigned to duty March L8th, 1865, as Quartermaster 
of Forces East Tenn. in the field and Acting Aide-de-Camp on 
staff of Genera] Ceo. Stoneman, Commanding; Stoneman's raid 
through Virginia ami North Carolina March 21st to April 25th, 
L865; Boone Court House, N. O, March 28th; Wilkesborough 
March 29th; Near Ilillsville, Va., April 3rd, Wytheville April 6th; 
Martinsville April 8th; Shallow Ford April 11th; Near Mocks- 
ville April 11th; Salisbury, N. C. April 12th; Catawba River 
April 1 7th ; Howards Gap April 22nd ; Hendersonville April 23rd; 



a Cbamberlain IRecorfc 41 

Received special mention by General Stoneman for gallantry 
and good conduct in battle; Chief Quartermaster District of 
East Tenn. May to October; Mustered out at Knoxville, Tenn. 
October 26th, 1865, and honorably discharged from service. 



42 b Cbambcrlaln IRecorfc* 



APPENDIX.* 

The persecution of John Chamberlain for his Quaker belief, 
referred to on page 3, is a striking illustration of the manner in 
which the government of the Massachusetts Bay attempted to 
regulate not onlv religious but civil matters. 

The actions and teachings of the earlier adherents of Fox, in 
England, had caused dismay. The orderly and tolerant way 
of living, later the distinctive mark of the Society of Friends, 
was by no means characteristic of the early disciples of Fox. 
It was even feared that the self-appointed messengers to New 
England were reallv emissaries of Rome. The authorities of 
Massachusetts Bay, holding that their charter gave them the 
right to exclude undesirable inhabitants, did not hesitate to at- 
tempt to prevent the residence within the limits of their charter 
of any person to whose way of life they objected. The Quaker 
propaganda was distinctly contrary to and disagreeable to Puri- 
tan ideas, and the persistenceof those who, by both reasonable 
and sensational methods, sought to force upon the people consid- 
eration of their claims, was not only provoking and tantalizing to 
a degree we cannot realize, but was deemed dangerous to the ex- 
isting order of things — as indeed it was. The grave mistake of 
the authorities was in taking notice of the fanatics, for such were 
the new comers. This precipitated the trouble, and the evident 
injustice meted out to those who harbored and gave hearing to 
Quaker enthusiasts, caused a wave of sympathy to spread through 
the country, and secured for the sect many adherents. John 
Chamberlain was a currier. He had married, 19th May, 1653, 
Ann daughter of William Brown, and had at least four children 
born prior to 1660. An account of his conversion to Quaker doc- 
trine is of record. He attended the execution of Mary Dyer, 1st 
June, 1660, on Boston Common, where she suffered death, not 
because of her religious belief, but because she had twice deliber- 
ately broken the law in returning after banishment, the last time 
evidently with the intention of suffering the penalty she had 

* This note regarding John Chamberlain is contributed by Mr. 
Putnam. 



a Cbamberlain IRecorb 43 

escaped but a short time previous, when the death penalty had 
been commuted at the gallows, upon her promise to leave the 
jurisdiction of Massachusetts. John Chamberlain states he was 
present at her execution and was drawn to visit those in prison, 
"and soon tasted of vour crueltv and hath been much and long 
imprisoned by you, and though still you have sorely shot at him 
yet his bow abide in strength, being enabled to bear all your 
cruelty and stand a faithful witness for the Lord against you." 

This statement of his does not agree exactly with the court 
records. He had evidently become identified with the Quakers 
prior to Mary Dyer's execution, for at a Court of Assistants 
held March 5-13, 1659-60, three months before her execution, 
he was among a party of nine, some from Salem, where they 
had been arrested, others from Boston, and one, Martha Stanly 
"late of Tenterdon in Kent, single woman," who "had a message 
from the Lord to visit her friends in prison in Boston," who were 
examined regarding their doctrine. Of Chamberlain the clerk's 
record reads, "John Chamberlain of Boston came into Court 
with his Hatt on." Moreover he expressed himself "yt (that) 

we fine not ye (the) opinion of ye Quakers to be but yt 

which shall stand when all y or (yours) shall fall." 

The other evidence apparently was not of a character far 
different from Chamberlain's, except in the case of the Salem 
contingent and the Kentish woman. Mary Trask, Margaret 
Smith and Martha Stanly could not be kept from expressing their 
opinions, and had to be removed from Court. Concerning the 
claims of the Quakers for recognition, it was related that "Major 
Hawthorne at Dinner with ye Governor and magistrates at a 
Court of Assistants said that at Salem Cassandra Southwick 
said she was greater than Moses because Moses had seen God 
but twice and that backwards, but she had seen him three times 
face to face, named place viz., her old House one time and by such 
a swamp another time," etc. 

The record proceeds: "the jury was called over to them and 
liberty given to challenge any of them off the Bench." 

No record appears of sentence or commitment at this court 
but 25th May following a writ of arrest was issued against 
Chamberlain as follows: 



44 a Chamberlain IRecorb 

To ye keeper of ye Prison at Boston 

Yon are to take into your custody ye person of John Cham- 
berline for venting his wretched opinions in Charlestowne meet- 
inge howse & tendinge to seduce and for reproachful] expressions 
otherwise. You are to keepe him as a prisoner until] authority 
heere established take farther coorsce with him: Charlestowne 
ye 25: 3: 1GG0 

Per me Richard Russell. 

Presumably he was either released on bail, or else was taken 
to witness Mary Dyer's execution as a warning. 

The General Court, perceiving that their measures had been 
too harsh and that some concession must be made to the rising 
popular indignation, had passed a law, 22nd May, 1661, which 
permitted a "vagabond" Quaker to return to try the patience of 
the authorities no less than six times before the death penalty was 
exacted. Quakers arising from the people themselves, those 
who had right of residence in the country, were liable to the law 
of 1658, and were to be banished under penalty of death if they re- 
turned. On the 22nd May, 1661, after passing the law mentioned, 
the court granted Wendlock Christopher, who was among those 
examined in March, 1660, and others, liberty to leave its juris- 
diction, but ordering them to be conveyed from town to town on 
their way by the constable. Two of the prisoners, because of 
standing mute at their trial, were to be tied to the cart's tail, and 
receive twenty lashes in Boston. Christopher had been sentenced 
to die, 13th June, but on the 6th June he was given liberty to ask 
for mercy, and on the 11th June was escorted beyond the limits 
of Dedham by the Constable, whose return is on file. 

We have now come to the interesting and valuable petition* of 
Henry Chamberlain, Sr., and Jr., which was evidently presented 
at this time, and we may suspect with the hope that he would 
eventually abandon his opinions. 

To the Honorable Generall Court now assembled at Boston the 
Humble petition of Henrv Chamberlayne senior and Henry 
Chamberlayne junior Humbly sheweth 

That forasmuch one John Chamberlayne a very neere & 

* Mass. Archives, 10:272. 

L.0FC. 



H Cbamberlatn IRecorfc 45 

deare Naturall relation of o rs a child a brother doth now ly shutt 
up unto death there beinge no thinge between him & the uttmost 
execution of humane Justice but the pronunciation of Judg- 
ment we having bin still remayninge petitioners unto God for 
mercy in his behalfe, we know not unto whom to Cry next but 
unto yourselves Naturall affection is alwayes urginge of us to doe 
somethinge in order to the further contynuation of his life & that 
to Doe wee know not loath we are to offend God or you loath we 
are to obstruct Justice & yet fayne wee woulde plead for mercy, 
& we have some hopes that the Hon r Court may at least moder- 
ate Justice by mercy as to cause them to goe together as to this 
particular Administration. 

O Humble petition therefore to this Honr ed Court is that if 
it may stand with the Justice of God's glory & the preservation 
of our Just lawes agaynst Quakers you would be pleased to re- 
mitt the sentence of Banishment upon Payne of Death, & per- 
mitt him to live in prison dureing your pleasure, we still hopeing 
yt God may enlarge his soule from those Chaynes of Darknes & 
then & not till then, we should be bold to petition for the en- 
largement of his body from outward restraynt, wee should not 
have bin so bould to have mentioned such a thinge to this Honed 
Court, but that we thought his condition somewhat more capable 
of mercy then the condition of other Quakers, he being an In- 
habitant a child to a father a father to children, & so bound by 
many obligations of naturall relation unto this place, we hope 
he may have accomodated in prison to worke at his Trade for the 
support of himself & his which if this Hon ed Court be pleased to 
graunt it will abundantly engage your poore petitioners to pray 
et. 

In answer to this pet the deputyes thinke meet to order that 

John Chamber! ayne now in prison be forthwith removed to the 

Castle Hand there he provide himself lodging housinge victualls 

etc. at his owne charge & dureing the Courts pleasure to re- 

mayne there & not to Come off at his perill desireing our Hon ed 

magistrates consent hereto. 

William Torrey Cleric. 

According to Bishop, Chamberlain had been whipped nine 
times by 9th Sept., 1661. He had added to his "crime" by marry- 



16 H Chamberlain IRccorfc 



in - with Catharine Chat i "came From London through 

many travels and hard trials to Boston and appeared clothed 
with sackcloth i of the indignation of the Lord coming 

. i " I been impri ;oned i nd whipped. 

In Nov., 1661, the letter of the King directing that the laws 
in force a ainst the Quakers be repealed, was received, and the 

< reneral < ' t took occasion to place on record that all the pris- 

i rs had been -ranted liberty to leave and had done so. Evi- 
dently Chamberlain had received his liberty and had removed 
with his family to Newport, where he was in August, 1664, the 
date of birth of his daughter Susanna. According to the 
Quaker records he died April, 1666, but the same records note 
the birth of his youi I child, Jane, in December, 1667. His 
children were Ann, John, Elizabeth, Henry, William (who re- 
vr 1 to Shrewsbury, N. J.)j Susanna, Peleg, and Jane. 



AUTHORITIES. 



Mass Archives, Vol. X: 266 et seq. 

Records of Mas 

Bishop's "New Engl md J 

Austin's Genealogical ! iry of Rhode Island. 



J '08 



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